In its latest consumer report, Resource4thePeople today announced the latest developments in the progress of tens of thousands of lawsuits* alleging that transvaginal mesh implants have failed and caused women severe health problems.

Among the most important developments is the fact that the number of transvaginal mesh lawsuits with similar allegations grouped together in what is called a multidistrict litigation before a single judge in the West Virginia district has now increased to over 43,000 cases.

These figures** were recently compiled by the U.S. Judicial Panel for Multidistrict Litigation as of the end of the latest reporting period of March 13, 2014.

The judge is overseeing consolidated federal transvaginal mesh lawsuits involving such major manufacturers of mesh as American Medical Systems, Inc., Boston Scientific Corp., C. R. Bard, Inc., Ethicon, Inc. and others, according to the court files.

"This is a significant increase in the number of transvaginal mesh lawsuits that have been assigned to this judge since the last reporting period and shows that more women are coming forth with claims of serious medical issues," said Resource4thePeople.

“As a result we are maintaining our policy of providing free consultations to consumers seeking information about their legal options to seek compensation over these claims and obtain experienced, aggressive legal help,” said Resource4thePeople

Transvaginal mesh is frequently used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence, two medical problems common to women as they age and their abdominal muscles weaken.

In another important development, Bloomberg News reported*** on March 14, 2014 that Coloplast A/S, the Danish maker of medical products, has agreed to pay about $16 million to settle lawsuits accusing it of injuring women with its vaginal-mesh inserts.

In its report, Bloomberg said settlement talks are continuing with other manufacturers facing thousands of suits over their vaginal-mesh inserts, including C.R. Bard Inc. and a unit of Endo Health Solutions Inc., while some implant makers, such as Johnson & Johnson the world’s biggest maker of health-care products, have declined to discuss out-of-court settlements.

One key trial in the multidistrict litigation has been delayed. The case**** involves allegations by a woman seeking damages from C.R. Bard over an Avaulta pelvic mesh device which was implanted in her body and caused her serious health problems, according to the court file in the case.

"This case is one of the bellwether trials selected from thousands of lawsuits filed against Bard grouped together in this jurisdiction in which women are claiming that the transvaginal mesh products were defectively designed and they suffered mesh erosion, chronic pain, infections, and other complications," said Resource4thePeople.

The rescheduled trial was preceded by another federal court trial also involving allegations involving C.R. Bard’s Avaulta transvaginal mesh in which a jury awarded $2 million in damages to a woman who claimed that she suffered serious health problems from the product, according to the court file in the case.*****

“That jury found in favor of a woman making serious allegations about the safety of transvaginal mesh, which has been implanted in tens of thousands of American women to treat pelvic organ prolapse, incontinence and other health problems,” said Resource4thePeople.

“Evidence in the case of the woman’s severe pain and the erosion and extrusion of the device mirrors the allegations in thousands of other mesh lawsuits that are pending and we view the verdict for the plaintiff as a positive development for other cases still to be heard.”

The $2 million in damages was awarded to a Georgia nurse who claimed that a Bard Avaulta Plus mesh implant she had in 2009 was defective and caused her to suffer serious health problems, including several corrective surgeries, according to the court file.

The jury awarded the woman $250,000 in compensatory damages and $1.75 million in punitive damages, according to the court file in the case.

"Lawyers for Bard, Endo Health Solutions Inc., Boston Scientific Corp. and two other companies making vaginal inserts to support women’s pelvic muscles and treat incontinence have begun talks about settling all suits over their products, the people familiar with the matter said," according to the report. “Johnson & Johnson, which also faces suits over the inserts, isn’t involved in the talks, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they weren’t authorized to speak publicly."

Resource4thePeople supports settlement talks as a positive step in the interests of consumers who may have been affected by these allegations.

"When lawsuits are filed there are always the possibilities of settlements being reached before cases go to trial," said Resource4thePeople.

Bloomberg in its report quoted Judge Joseph Goodwin as telling the attorneys:

“I know you all are considering settlement protocols and the possibility of resolutions,” Goodwin said at a Sept. 18 court hearing. He noted the talks were going on “behind the scenes.”